“The problem with Trump’s comments is there is no strategy behind them. His remarks don’t reflect a carefully thought plan and don’t reflect discussions with allies, it just adds more risk to an already risky situation,” Jennings added.
Moreover, there was no real need for the president’s Tuesday remark, according to Delury.
“Every single day, there’s a [North Korean] threat on the U.S. or its allies. We haven’t really seen any spectacular new level of threat,” said Delury, who referred to North Korea’s Guam strike threat as “standard operating procedure.”
Instead of military might, officials should concentrate on the “freeze for freeze” deal, which remains the best option on the table, Delury continued.
Under the proposal, North Korea would temporarily freeze nuclear and missile tests in return for a reduced American military presence in the Korean Peninsula.
“It’s a shame [Secretary of State] Rex Tillerson was in the same room as the North Korean foreign minister, who is a reasonable person, and that discussion didn’t occur,” Delury said. “Both sides need to probe to find a way to step back from the cliff and change these dynamics.”
